Day trip from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg lies 268 km (166 mi) north-east of Mthatha, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
At 268 km (166 mi) apart, Pietermaritzburg is a realistic day trip from Mthatha: about 4 h 21 min each way by road.
Open Pietermaritzburg in Google Maps
| Mthatha | Pietermaritzburg | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Population | 164,848 | 839,327 |
| Elevation | 694 m (2,277 ft) | 636 m (2,087 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+2 (Africa/Johannesburg) | UTC+2 (Africa/Johannesburg) |
Where to book tours and tickets in Pietermaritzburg
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Pietermaritzburg
Our booking partner lists 131 places to stay in Pietermaritzburg. Of the 60 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (34), and 1 are five-star. Across 78 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 7.9 out of 10. Guests have left 19,816 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Pietermaritzburg
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Pietermaritzburg from Mthatha?
268 km (166 mi) in a straight line, north-east of Mthatha; by road roughly 327 km (203 mi).
How long does it take to get from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg by road?
About 4 h 21 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Mthatha and Pietermaritzburg?
No, both are on Africa/Johannesburg at the moment.
Where can I stay in Pietermaritzburg?
Our booking partner lists 131 places to stay in Pietermaritzburg, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.